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Kaghaznagar forest division turns tiger breeding zone

The tigress from Maharashtra, named S6, and her two cubs were seen happily wandering in the forest and making a meal of the carcass of an animal

By Padala Santosh

Updated On - 20 January 2021, 12:38 AM

Kaghaznagar forest division turns tiger breeding zone — A camera trap shows a tigress and her cubs feeding on a hunt in the Kaghaznagar forest division recently.

Kumram Bheem Asifabad: Kaghaznagar forest division is turning out to be a favourite ‘maternity ward’ for tigresses with news of a big cat from Maharashtra giving birth to two cubs in the forest three months ago and two more expectant resident tigresses ready for delivery trickling out.

The tigress from Maharashtra, named S6, and her two cubs were seen happily wandering in the forest and making a meal of the carcass of an animal. This development came to light when the photograph of the carnivore and the cubs were leaked by a Forest Department employee to a vernacular newspaper recently, flouting protocols of the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA).

“The movements of S6 with her cubs were recorded in a CCTV camera trap three to four months ago. It entered the forests of Kaghaznagar division from Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve (TATR) in Maharashtra. Measures are being taken to protect the big cat and her two cubs. The movements of both the adult and young carnivores are being closely tracked,” District Forest Officer S Santharam told Telangana Today.

Meanwhile, two more resident tigresses of Kaghaznagar division are said to be pregnant. They are offsprings of Phalguna which gave birth to nine cubs in two litters in 2016 and 2017. The Union government released a postal stamp in recognition of the rare instance. Incidentally, Phalguna had migrated to this division from the TATR.

Foresters believe that big cats delivering cubs in this division is a good sign from the perspective of ecology. They have also sought increased protection of tigers and involvement of locals in conservation measures that will play a vital role in sustenance of such instances. “Unless this is done, the tigers will again vanish from the forests as was witnessed two decades back,” a forester said.

Forest officials said there are at least 12 tigers residing in the forests of Kumram Bheem Asifabad district, a majority of whom strayed from Maharashtra. A tiger, which developed aberrant behaviour, killed two tribal youngsters in November last, triggering panic among rural folks and people living in fringe villages.

Meanwhile, the employee who shared the images of the tigress and cubs with the vernacular newspaper is under the scanner and is likely to be suspended for violating the guidelines of the NTCA. “Higher authorities of the Forest department are unhappy with the negligence and over-enthusiasm of frontline staffers in not adhering to the protocol of the apex body for conservation of tigers,” a forester said.

The dry deciduous forests of Kaghaznagar division provide a conducive habitat for tigers, and this has been proved by the increasing migration of big cats from neighbouring Maharashtra and Chhattisgarh to this forest in the past few years. The division is gradually becoming a breeding ground for the carnivores.